Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as, for example, voice, data, and so on. Typical wireless communication systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., bandwidth, transmit power, . . . ). Examples of such multiple-access systems may include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, and the like. Additionally, the systems can conform to specifications such as third generation partnership project (3GPP) (e.g., 3GPP LTE (Long Term Evolution)/LTE-Advanced), ultra mobile broadband (UMB), evolution data optimized (EV-DO), etc.
Generally, wireless multiple-access communication systems may simultaneously support communication for multiple mobile devices. Each mobile device may communicate with one or more base stations via transmissions on forward and reverse links. The forward link (or downlink) refers to the communication link from base stations to mobile devices, and the reverse link (or uplink) refers to the communication link from mobile devices to base stations. Further, communications between mobile devices and base stations may be established via single-input single-output (SISO) systems, multiple-input single-output (MISO) systems, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, and so forth.
To supplement conventional base stations, additional small cells can be deployed to provide more robust wireless coverage to mobile devices. Small cells use a network listening module (NLM) to measure received signal strength indication (RSSI) over one or more frequencies to select a frequency for operation. In some cases, the small cells also obtain a priority list from an operations, administration, and maintenance (OAM) function to additionally consider in selecting the operating frequency. In any case, the NLM is co-located at the small cell, however, and thus RSSI only to the small cell is considered in selecting the frequency. In this regard, frequency selection using an NLM does not consider impact of a selected frequency on any user equipment (UE) that may be served or potentially interfered by the small cell. In an example, selection of a frequency that is determined to be acceptable by the small cell may be a frequency over which a served UE experiences interference from other nearby cells (e.g., due to the different locations of small cell and UE). In addition, a frequency selected by the small cell may cause interference to nearby UEs served by another cell operating on the same frequency.